MISSOULA — COVID-19 testing is hitting the road in Western Montana.
The Missoula City-County Health Department will host its first mobile COVID-19 testing clinic in Clinton on Thursday, May 14.
The clinic will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clubhouse parking lot on East Mullan Road, about two blocks west of Clinton Elementary School.
Local health officials note that testing is by appointment only and is available to Missoula County residents or healthcare workers experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or caring for someone who is.
COVID-19 symptoms include:
- fever
- cough
- shortness of breath
- sore throat
- chills
- muscle pain
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- new loss of taste or smell
Clinton-area residents who meet the above criteria should call (406) 258-INFO and select option 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, to schedule an appointment.
Testing at the mobile clinic – which will be set up similar to the testing site at the Missoula County Fairgrounds -- is free of charge.
Patients will drive up to the site and remain in their vehicles while staff explain how to perform the test on themselves. Once their swab is collected, patients will receive instructions on what to do until their results are processed.
“We know that increasing testing is still key to suppressing the spread of COVID and keeping it from resurging in our communities,” said COVID-19 Incident Commander Cindy Farr.
“After we see how this first clinic goes in Clinton, our hope for the future is to bring mobile testing to our outlying communities once a week.”
The fairgrounds testing site will be closed on Thursday due to elections activity and be open again Friday, May 15.